Senator Coburn Threatens Democrats Who Vote Yes On Health Care

Oklahoma Senator Tom Coburn had a warning for House Democrats who switch from “no” to “yes” on health care reform and then lose their seats: (via Think Progress)

“If you voted no and you vote yes and you lose your election and you think any nomination to a federal position isn’t going to be held in the Senate, I’ve got news for you, it’s going to be held.”

It’s amusing to watch Republicans attack Democrats on procedural issues and then promise to use procedural issues as retribution.…

President Obama Signs Jobs Bill Into Law

by Thomas Wellborn

A new jobs bill packaged with $18 billion in tax breaks and $20 billion in highway and transit spending was signed into law today in a White House Rose Garden ceremony. The bill, the first of several in the works to stimulate the economy, is projected to create 250,000 new jobs.  Much more work will need to be done, however, in order to make a dent in the 8.2 million lost since the start of the recession.

The nation’s jobless rate stood at 9.7% in February. Since the latest recession began in December 2007, net payroll

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CBO: Health Care Bill Reduces Deficit $1.3 Trillion Over 20 Years

While conservatives love to talk down the numbers from the Congressional Budget Office whenever it doesn’t suit their agenda, the numbers on the health care bill are encouraging.

The bill will cost $940 billion over the first 10 years and reduce the deficit by $130 billion during that period. In the second 10 years — so, 2020 to 2029 — it will reduce the deficit by $1.2 trillion. The legislation will cover 32 million Americans, or 95 percent of the legal population.

To put this in context, that’s more deficit reduction than either the House or Senate bill, …

New England Journal Of Medicine Denies Health Care “Survey”

by Thomas Wellborn

The Right-Wing media have been pushing a  “survey” that claims 45% of doctors they sampled “indicated that they would leave medicine – or try to leave medicine – as a result of health reform.”  Various journalists have credited this report to the The New England Journal of Medicine.

Media Matters reports NEJM spokesperson Jennifer Zeis denies the report is connected in any way to the NEJM.  She is currently investigating the source of the survey.

So, in sum, the right-wing media has seized upon what appears to be essentially a promotional document from a

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Limbaugh To 11-Year-Old Child: “Your Mom Would Have Still Died.”

The New York Times recently ran a report about 11-year-old Marcelas Owens’ appearance at a March press conference with Senate Democrats where he spoke about mother’s death.

Rep. Mike Pence: What Dems Are Doing Is Unconstitutional; I Did It Too

Indiana Congressman Mike Pence, the number 3 Republican in terms of leadership in the House, told The Daily Caller he thinks the self-executing rule is unconstitutional, and then admits he used it himself three times (via Steve Benen)

The Daily Caller: Yesterday you said the self-executing rule was unconstitutional. Is that correct?

Mike Pence: Well I think it’s probably unconstitutional. I know that there are leading legal scholars who believe it is unconstitutional. My background in law and constitutional issues suggests to me it’s unconstitutional.

The DC: My question is, though, that Democrats say you voted …

On Wednesday’s Radio Show…

Guest host Barry Weintraub fills in for Alan.…

Catholic Nuns Break With Bishops To Support Health Care Reform

Catholic nuns are breaking with their bishops to support the health care reform bill, believing, unlike the bishops, that restrictions on abortion are sufficient.

Some 60 leaders of religious orders representing 59,000 Catholic nuns Wednesday sent lawmakers a letter urging them to pass the Senate health care bill. It contains restrictions on abortion funding that the bishops say don’t go far enough.

The letter says that “despite false claims to the contrary, the Senate bill will not provide taxpayer funding for elective abortions.” The letter says the legislation also will help support pregnant women and “this is the real pro-life …

Why Does Michele Bachmann Hate America?

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann accused the “mainstream media” of “treason,” claiming it wasn’t telling the whole story on how health care reform is being considered, that Speaker Nancy Pelosi should be laughed out of the House, and that “people should be calling for impeachment off of something like this.”  It’s about time that someone who continually shouts about “patriotism” is reminded of how her sickening more-patriotic-than-thou stance is, itself, un-American.

At issue is a procedure called “deem-and-pass,” “the self-executing rule,” or “the Slaughter Solution,” after New York Congresswoman Louise Slaughter, who chairs the House Rules Committee.  The media (is …

Man With Parkinson’s Called A Communist By Health Care Reform Protesters

by Thomas Wellborn

Outside of Rep. Mary Jo Kilroy’s (D-OH) district office yesterday were activists from both sides of the Health Care Reform Debate trying to sway Kilroy’s undecided vote into their favor.  Heated exchanges were frequent throughout the rally.  One man carrying a sign saying he has Parkinson’s Disease was accosted, mocked and accused of being a Communist. “If you’re looking for a handout you’re in the wrong end of town,” were the words hurled at him by one fired up protester.

After the rally, Kilroy thanked the crowed, but didn’t signal how she’ll vote.

“We appear to be …

Ashcroft, Tenet, Rumsfeld Cautioned 9/11 Commission Not To Go Too Far

by Thomas Wellborn

A  document obtained by the ACLU outlines how high-ranking Bush Administration members strongly cautioned the 9/11 Commission from digging too deeply into the 9/11 terrorist attacks.  The fax notification was addressed by Attorney General John Ashcroft, Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and CIA Director George J. Tenet, and sent by Dick Cheney’s counsel  David Addington.

Document excerpt:

“In response to the Commission’s expansive requests for access to secrets, the executive branch has provided such access in full cooperation. There is, however, a line that the Commission should not cross — the line separating the Commission’s proper

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